Review: Exotica (The Nightshade Cases, Episode 2) by Patti Larsen

Published: June 20th 2014, Patti Larsen Books/Purely Paranormal Press
Genre: Crime | Paranormal | Thriller  Episodes
Format: ebook (e-pub)
Source: provided for honest review

Goodreads Summary

Bodies wash up on the Silver City beach all the time, but this one is different. Detective Geraldine Meyers is hot on the case, with help from medical examiner Dr. Rachel Hunter and anthropologist Dr. Kinsey DanAllart, uncovering the truth behind deaths at a popular new nightclub. Will they deduce a logical explanation for the murders? Or will the three friends uncover a deeper conspiracy hiding the truth about what’s stalking their city’s streets?

Welcome to The Nightshade Cases, a series of twenty-one episodes in twenty-one weeks. Please note: this episodic series is based on the television show model, with screenwriting notations and shorter formats. There will be a complete mystery each week, with cliffhangers only occurring in the full season story line.

The Good

I'm a huge fan of paranormal thrillers. They surprise the readers all the time and The Nightshade Cases are the best example of such beautifully written books. I fell in love with this series when I read the first episode, The Freak Show. And I'm really happy to say that after reading this one, the second episode, my love has only increased for the series!

I absolutely loved the mystery. The character-connect developed over the first episode helped a great deal in this one, as the entire focus of the story was only on the plot (with due reminders wherever needed.)

The cliff-hanging ending is mind-blowing! I was literally pissed that the book ended where it did. I just wanted to get the next one right away (at 3:25 am... crazy right!!!) This series is a real piece of intellect. I just can't wait to read the nest episode, or for that matter, the entire set of episodes!

Following the pattern, there was a murder, some suspects, strange occurrences, great deal of friendship and an arrest... but that's not it because after all this when the paranormal element hits it makes you rethink the entire thing all over again! OMG, I really can't explain enough how good these books are and get this, they keep getting better and better with each episode!

The Bad

No, Nothing wrong here! (yea... it's from Cujo!)

The Romance

There was no romance, but there was a lot of the love amongst the three leads. It's really overwhelming to see how they take care of each other and how true their friendship is.

Conclusion

It's a must read for all paranormal-thriller readers. I can't stress enough on how good this series is. I'm eagerly waiting to get my hands on the next episode!

Did you enjoy this review? Check out Heena's other reviews at The Reading Bud

Harry Potter Moment of the Week [38]

This is a meme hosted by Uncorked Thoughts.The aim of this meme is to share with fellow bloggers a character, spell, chapter, object or quote from the books/ films/ J. K. Rowling herself or anything Potter related! She is picking a topic within HP for us to focus on each week and then if anyone wants to take part feel free! All she asks is to link back to her blog :). There is now a full list of the topics to come here.

    SPOILERS AHEAD *
anyone that has not read the books or movies - you are warned!

Could you ever double as a spy like Snape?

No, never. First, I am a horrible liar. I am uncomfortable with lying and it comes through big time. I loathe habitual liars so I feel like I shouldn't do that to other people either. I'm generally quiet about my opinion unless someone asks, and then I'm bluntly honest even at the expense of hurt feelings.

Second, I feel like I am too selfish to have done what he did. Basically he was putting on a show for the world the whole time with everyone he talked to. He only got to be fully himself with one person...ONE. That would drive me crazy. 

What do you think?

Blog Tour with Giveaway: Falling Angels Among Us The Complete Series by Linn B. Halton

Welcome to my stop on the Falling Angels Among Us The Complete Series Tour. 

Goodreads Summary

Ceri thinks she sees angels … everywhere. She struggles to keep separate what feels like two very different sides to her life. As a manager in an advertising company she’s been working with the gorgeous Alex for two years. The have a friendship based upon the image she portrays whilst she’s at work and it helps to keep her sane. One mad, crazy night spent sharing their secrets and a lot of wine result in them ending up in bed together and their relationship changes. When Alex explains that the reason he doesn’t date is because someone broke his heart, how can Ceri admit that she feels a deep connection to him?

Ceri knows she’s different. What she doesn’t fully appreciate, is that her task in life is to correct a series of incidents that affect some of the people’s lives with whom she comes into contact. She’s simply putting right little errors that could ripple outwards and change the course of their destiny. When she finds herself getting pulled into things that happen around her, how can she prove that she really has made a difference? Is it all in her head?

She’s alone for a reason; she’s not meant to fall in love in her earthly life. Alex is supposed to cross paths with her and help Ceri during a phase where she begins to question the signs she’s being given. It’s meant to be a turning point for them both—but in opposite directions. They are destined to travel very different paths … but Ceri doesn’t know that and neither does Alex …

Buy Links

Amazon UK | Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | Google Play

About Linn B. Halton

Linn B Halton lives in the small village of Lydbrook, Gloucestershire in the UK, but was born in Bristol. She resides there with her husband and cat with 'catitude'- Mr Tiggs.

Linn began writing in March 2009 and her debut novel was published in February 2011. In a recent interview Linn was asked about genres:

"From a very young age I knew romantic fiction was always going to be my genre. I am, and will always be, madly in love with love! Whether that's love of life, a partner, or the things I'm passionate about.

My stories are about love, life and real relationships - but romance is always the one thing that holds each story together. Often there's a light, psychic touch and I never dreamed I would write drawing upon my personal psychic experiences. But as my interest and understanding has grown in the subject, it is now such a part of my life it finds its way into my fictional tales. However, what is heartening is that most of my experiences have been uplifting and it's wonderful to know loved ones are around me always. I hope it will make readers stop and wonder 'What if?'

The result is that I get a lot of mail from readers who have had similar experiences and some are sharing theirs for the first time with me. I always feel that's something rather special and for which I'm very grateful."

Love, life and beyond... but it's ALWAYS about the romance!

Linn is published by HarperImpulse and Sapphire Star Publishing.
Linn is the editor of Loveahappyending Lifestyle emagazine.

Website  |  Twitter | Facebook | Bookshelf

1st -  prize a copy of The Restaurant @ The Mill and ecopies of Falling: Angels Among Us The Complete Series and Touched by The Light. 

2nd Prize - 3 winners can choose which book they want from any of Linn’s ebooks.

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Review, Interview, and Giveaway: The End of Violet and Abby by Scott Silver

Published: October 20th 2014
Genre: YA, Supernatural/demon
Format: ebook
Source: provided for honest review

Goodreads Summary

Violet and Abby pledged to stay best friends forever, a vow put to the ultimate test when Violet dies in a tragic accident—and comes back. Now boys are turning up dead, attacked by a creature both alien, and terrifyingly familiar and Abby is beginning to suspect that her best friend may have returned...different. Funny and heartbreaking, ‘The End of Violet and Abby' combines the sharp observations of Mean Girls with the sarcastic wit of Buffy the Vampire Slayer to tell the story of two young women struggling to save their friendship—and each other—from an ancient evil that threatens everything they love.

Buy The End of Violet and Abby Today at Amazon

The most likely explanation was that they'd hooked up. No elaborate murder scenarios or supernatural intrigue, just an innocent quickie in the middle of mother nature, nothing more. Violet was a boykiller but only in the metaphorical sense.

The Good

I had fun with this one. I liked the smart ass attitudes Violet and Abby tend to wield with little restraint. Well, Violet more so then Abby, but Abby starts to hold back less and say how she feels. The creature has a familiar feel, but is creepy in a whole new way. The End of Violet and Abby also does a good job capturing the high school environment. I kind of wanted to punch a couple of the kids and maybe a teacher or two.

The Bad

I would have preferred not knowing who the killer was, but you don't really get that option (minor complaint). I also would have liked to seen a bit more follow up with the end of the book...what happens after the resolution between Violet and Abby.

The Romance

The romance is mostly Abby wanting a relationship while Violet has fun playing with the boys she comes across that can't resist her physical attributes. At the same time, Violet has a little jealous side when it comes to Abby.

Conclusion

I enjoyed reading The End of Violet and Abby. The creature was unique and the main characters held my interest. Definitely worth checking out if you enjoy Paranormal high school books with fun monster concepts.

Excerpts

"Oh come on, bunch of crazed naked chicks running wild in the woods-- what else were they doing, swapping goat's blood recipes? You just won't admit it because you're a prude."
"I am not a prude. There's lots of things a group of women can do together that doesn't involve sex. Then again, maybe it's different for boys. Got any stories you want to share?"
Eric didn't have any stories he wanted to share.

Rule number one when dealing with fake girls: The higher a girl's voice, the more she hates you. Fake girls masked their distain in a high-pitched, overly enthusiastic tone that, while friendly, was secretly covered in venom. Whenever Lauren spoke, it sounded like her vocal chords were trapped in her esophagus.

I opened my eyes and found myself face-to-face with the monster I once called my best friend.
"Oh good, you're back," Demon Violet said. "For a minute I thought you'd died or something. I've done that before. Don't recommend it."

Author Interview

Please introduce yourself, and what first inspired you to start writing?

Hey everyone! Scott Silver here, author of the new YA novel The End of Violet and Abby.

When did I first start writing? Hmm, good question. I can’t remember a specific moment; it’s just something I’ve always done. Even as a wee tot I’d write little short stories about my favorite cartoon characters. I once wrote an epic Smurfs/Transformers/Chipmunks/Star Wars crossover.


How has being an author changed your life?

It’s informed everything I do really. Being a writer teaches you to be more observant and find the special little details and flaws in things, both in nature and in people. I’ve come to understand the folks around me a lot better through creating characters in my head.

Halloween is coming up -- IS there a certain book that creeped you out more than most growing up?

Never read too many scary books as a kid, which I guess is why I can’t stop writing them as an adult. You know what did spook me as a kid though? The Garfield Halloween Special. I mean, the old man in the rocking chair with the white eyebrows? Freaky man.

Will there be a sequel to the End of Violet and Abby?

I’d intended this to be a stand-alone story and yet a lot of the feedback I’ve gotten from beta readers has involved the possibility of a follow-up, so who knows?


What character have you most enjoyed exploring? 

I really love how the character of Astrid developed as the story progressed. She started out as a generic background character but gradually emerged as a unique personality in her own right. She’s someone you’ll both love and hate throughout the story and those types of characters are rare.


Do you listen to music when you write? If so, what's your favorite song to write to?

I’m easily distracted and terribly scatterbrained, which is why I like to write in quiet places like the library (Shout out to the Seattle Central Library!), so I don’t listen to many tunes while I write. That said, I’m a huge music nerd, so here’s a few songs to get you in the proper Violet and Abby mood:

Running Up That Hill – Placebo
What the Water Gave Me – Florence + The Machine
Night Sky – Chvrches 
Just Like Honey – Jesus and Mary Chain

Do you have a new project started already or are you catching your breath and enjoying The End of Violet and Abby?

I’ve actually started doing some preliminary research for my next project. I also plan on releasing a short story sometime in the beginning of next year. Anyone interested in learning more can follow me on Twitter or sign up for my email list and become full-fledged members of the Silver Society!

About Scott Silver:

Scott Silver is a writer who's lived all over the US from the suburban tranquility of New England to the muggy sprawl of the Deep South to the neon playground of Las Vegas. He studied creative writing at the Fine Arts Center in Greenville, South Carolina and at the University of Georgia.

His spare time is spent reading comics and YA Lit, listening to cheesy synthpop, hosting trivia nights, and catching up on all the TV shows (so please, no spoilers). He lives in Seattle, WA and can be reached on Twitter @theSilverDome or at ScottSilverAuthor@gmail.com.

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Sunday Cover Scramble [90]

Let's have some fun! I am going to post covers on here every Sunday that are scrambled up graphically, making it hard to tell what cover it is. I would like your guesses on what cover you think I've posted. I won't answer you until I'm posting the next one to let you know if you are right, allowing others to guess as well. Some will be hard, and others may be easy. Let me know in the comments if you'd like some more hints and I'll offer some more if no one guesses it correctly.


I'm changing up the format a little bit! I am going to be pulling covers off the Most Popular Page on Goodreads.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

JC's Bulletin of the Week [5]

Welcome to my weekly Bulletin. This is a place where you will find what's going on at JC's Book Haven lately, what I've found around the blogger world, Book News, and any books that are releasing in the next week.

Well, Zane's science fair project has left him with one flower alive, and that's the one with sugar added in the vase. We have to do it a second time to make sure that he gets the same results.

We are also working on finishing touches for his Halloween costume.

The last two weeks on the blog:

Sunday Cover Scramble
Matt did a review and excerpt of Bad Blood by Nicky Peacock
Harry Potter Moment of the Week - Where would you live as a witch or wizard (with muggles, magical community, etc)?
Melody reviewed The Best Horror of the Year, Volume 6 edited by Ellen Datlow
Sunday Cover Scramble
Matt did an ARC review of The Accidental Apprentice (Accidental Magik #1) by Anika Arrington
Harry Potter Moment of the Week - If you could change anything about Harry Potter, what would it be?
Heena reviewed Girl Nevermore by R.A. Desilets

Top Ten Writing Mistakes That Editors See Everyday - Blot the Skrip and Jar It

Crystal Collier does a cute post about 5 Snacks While Reading

Beth Ellyn Summer tells us the 5 Higher Pressured Things Than a 2nd MS. It's great and so true!

Dave's Corner of the Universe gives us 5 Modern Monsters

Kim Harrison has a short-story scheduled to be released on 10/28 called Sudden Backtrack. Al gets the final word. Only read after Witch With No Name.

The Morganville Series is debuting season 1 on October 27th - Join us for the entire first season of MORGANVILLE at the Geek & Sundry channel on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/geekandsundry

The Mortal Instruments Series is making a return to screen, but it will be the small screen. It is being re-launched as a high end drama series. 

      

      

Black Dog: Hellhound Chronicles (Hellhound Chronicles #1)—Caitlin Kittredgelack

Black Spring (Black Wings #7)—Christina Henry

Compulsion (The Heirs of Watson Island #1)—Martina Boone

Dream Stalkers (Night Terrors #2)—Tim Waggoner

Inner Demon (The Asylum Tales #3.3)—Jocelynn Drake

Shadowboxer—Tricia Sullivan

The Void (Witching Savannah #3)—J.D. Horn

The Wolf In Winter (Charlie Parker #12)—John Connolly 

Review: Girl Nevermore by R.A. Desilets

Published: September 8, 2014, Createspace
Genre:  YA | Contemporary | Dark-Fiction
Format: ebook (e-pub)
Source: provided for honest review

Goodreads Summary

Last week, Cooper Mesa was a quiet, studious bookworm.

This week, she feels unworthy of love or forgiveness.

When Cooper's twin sister, Kayla, tries to end her own life, Cooper blames herself. If only she had paid more attention...

Desperate to understand her sister's decision, Cooper starts down a dark path, discovering her own inner turmoil. Losing herself is easy, but finding a reason to live is becoming impossible.

The Good

Girl Nevermore is really a very well-written book. Rachel A. Desilets has done a fabulous job in expressing the true emotions of the lead character, Cooper, who goes through a very difficult time, and in doing so evoking the deepest and darkest feelings and memories in the readers. The characters are developed enough to be dominated by the strong emotional content, which worked just fine for the book.

Another thing that I really liked about the book is its ending. Trust me when I say, 'It couldn't have been better!'

The Bad

Though brilliantly written, I felt that just once or twice the author went a bit over-board with the whole high-on-emotions thing, but as one can't really put a limit on feelings and emotions, I guess it can be ignored.

It took me a really long time to get over the strong negative vibes projected by Cooper Mesa, for me that was quite a bummer!

The Romance

The entire story revolves around the bond between Cooper and her sister Kayla. Though Cooper keeps on questioning the bond they once had, she loves Kayla a lot and feels guilty for not being there for her.

Another important relationship is that of Cooper and Logan. The relationship they had was that of total-understanding, trust and patience. It was a beautiful relationship, one that each and every girl wants.

Conclusion

Girl Nevermore is a beautifully written book that'll surely rouse your deep emotions! I'd recommend it to YA readers, though I'd like to warn those who get uncomfortable with strong emotional stuff.

Did you enjoy this review? Check out Heena's other reviews at The Reading Bud

Harry Potter Moment of the Week [37]

This is a meme hosted by Uncorked Thoughts.The aim of this meme is to share with fellow bloggers a character, spell, chapter, object or quote from the books/ films/ J. K. Rowling herself or anything Potter related! She is picking a topic within HP for us to focus on each week and then if anyone wants to take part feel free! All she asks is to link back to her blog :). There is now a full list of the topics to come here.

       If there was one thing you could change about Harry Potter, what would it be?

That's a double-edged sword. Harry has flaws. He can have a short fuse. He falls into depressions that he won't let others help him out of. He is arrogant at times, thinking he's indestructible at others. He can become obsessed with one particular problem, and overlook everything else around him. He can be a bit too trusting. He can completely ignore reason and logic. He is stubborn and impatient. He could also work a little harder in school.

The thing is, these character traits are what make him believable. They are what makes us fall in love with him and feel like we know him inside and out. It's what causes us to feel like we are in his thoughts more significantly, and for those reasons, I wouldn't want to change a thing. All of his thoughts, actions, decisions, and flaws brought him to the exact point in the story that he was supposed to be at the time.

What would you change about him if you could?

ARC Review: The Accidental Apprentice (Accidental Magik #1) by Anika Arrington

Published: October 4th 2014 by Xchyler Publishing
Genre: Fantasy
Format: ebook
Source: provided for honest review

Goodreads Summary

Brilliant and ambitious, Rezdin the Wizard has one goal: impress the king, but he answers to Baron von Dappenshien who refuses him access to Court. Before Rezdin can maneuver himself into the limelight, the king charges von Dappenshien for treason, and Rezdin goes to ground. The wizard finds himself dependent upon the wits and good will of a starving street urchin. But what can he offer little Tommy in return? When old dangers and new alliances rear their menacing heads, Rezdin must decide where his true loyalties lie, and what to do with his new-found entourage of one.

The former street urchin in me wanted to spit at the baron's feet. The educated magician wanted to shrink him until he understood just how small he made others feel. But on the whole, I didn't fancy prison, so I let the temptations slip away.

The Good

So it has some fun spells as well as an interesting landscape. The history of the land and what was going on with the people, keeping some plotting and others loyal was great. While I liked a lot of the characters in the book, hero and villain, I wish there was more about Marco Calico. Rezdin's cat was my type of character; good, sarcastic, able to help but holding back because you asked him to (not realizing he could help). Its ok he believes you can do it lol.

The Bad

It took me a few chapters to get into the book. As there is a lot of ground work laid down, no real action and a lot of political plotting is going on at first. Oh and it has a bit of 'I'm rich so my magic toy needs to be better then so-n-so's magic toy or I'll throw a fit'.

The Romance

The romance was interesting as it was on the villain side. The villain takes advantage of her jellyfish of a husband to try and overthrow the government. Yet despite how she walks over him and treats him like dirt, ignoring him at times, he continues to love her.

Conclusion

Overall, a fun little fantasy book. The spells and few magic items are fantastic. The characters are different (No he-man/Conan heroes to be found that I can recall). If you enjoy government overthrows, plotting with the enemy with magic tossed in, I suggest you give this book a read.

Excerpts

I needed to protect myself. I needed to run. I needed a beer.

"The more folks disappear around you, the more people will look at you too close. Magik ain't everywhere in Havensgate. Lower folk can't afford it most times. You start doing spells anytime
someone looks at you twice, and you won't last long. I can help you."

"Your  Rezdin's cat?" I asked in disbelief.
"Technically, Rezdin is my wizard," he corrected. "And he knows me by the name I chose in this world. The pair of you can call me Marco Calico."


"If by fun you mean a never-ending obstacle to tranquility, then yes." I wandered back to my chair and conjured a cup of tea. "Aren't you supposed to be keeping an eye on my student?

"He's reading under the miniature maple in the courtyard. Apparently, he's actually got an interest in all this magikal hogwash."Calico leapt down from my shoulder and returned to his place in front of the fire. "Looks like I'll have to get my entertainment elsewhere."

Sunday Cover Scramble [89]

Let's have some fun! I am going to post covers on here every Sunday that are scrambled up graphically, making it hard to tell what cover it is. I would like your guesses on what cover you think I've posted. I won't answer you until I'm posting the next one to let you know if you are right, allowing others to guess as well. Some will be hard, and others may be easy. Let me know in the comments if you'd like some more hints and I'll offer some more if no one guesses it correctly.


I'm changing up the format a little bit! I am going to be pulling covers off the Most Popular Page on Goodreads.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Review: The Best Horror of the Year, Volume 6 edited by Ellen Datlow

Published: June 3, 2014 by Night Shade Books and Imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
Genre: Anthology, Horror
Source: Provided for honest review

Amazon Overview

"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown."

This statement was true when H. P. Lovecraft first wrote it at the beginning of the twentieth century, and it remains true at the beginning of the twenty-first century. The only thing that has changed is what is unknown.

With each passing year, science, technology, and the march of time shine light into the craggy corners of the universe, making the fears of an earlier generation seem quaint. But this "light" creates its own shadows. The Best Horror of the Year, edited by Ellen Datlow, chronicles these shifting shadows. It is a catalog of terror, fear, and unpleasantness, as articulated by today's most challenging and exciting writers.

The best horror writers of today do the same thing that horror writers of a hundred years ago did. They tell good stories--stories that scare us. And when these writers tell really good stories that really scare us, Ellen Datlow notices. She's been noticing for more than a quarter century. For twenty-one years, she coedited The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror, and for the last six years, she's edited this series. In addition to this monumental cataloging of the best, she has edited hundreds of other horror anthologies and won numerous awards, including the Hugo, Bram Stoker, and World Fantasy awards.

More than any other editor or critic, Ellen Datlow has charted the shadowy abyss of horror fiction. Join her on this journey into the dark parts of the human heart . . . either for the first time . . . or once again.

The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Six at Amazon

This is a compilation of pretty amazing horror stories.  Since this is an anthology, my review will detour from my usual format.

Overall a great read with great stories.  Some I wish was a little longer and some were just right.  If you are a fan of horror, this is defiantly a good read.  It has a grab bag from all different kind of horror; from supernatural, creatures, killers, you name it there is a story for you!

All the short stories are well written with just the right amount of suspense and horror.  There are plenty of horrifying images this book will bring to your imagination and stay there.    I for one am TERRIFIED of birds.  Well, there is a very creepy story about a freakishly large killer bird.  It just reaffirms my beliefs birds are evil!  I enjoyed almost all the stories.  There were a few that stood out to me.  The Good Husband was probably my favorite.    Very chilling and graphic story A+ stuff!  I enjoyed the Soul in the Bell Jar because it was a ghost/mad scientist story from a new angle.   I also loved the Only Ending We Have a fictional story/character based in reality of Albert Hitchcock’s films.    I liked the fact it took something all horror fans know well and made an interesting and satisfying story.  The stories in this collection include:

"Apports" by Stephen Bacon
"Mr. Splitfoot" by Dale Bailey
"The Good Husband" by Nathan Ballingrud
"The Tiger" by Nina Allan
"The House on Cobb Street" by Lynda E. Rucker
"The Soul in the Bell Jar" by K.J. Kabza
"Call Out" by Stephen Toase
"That Tiny Flutter of the Heart I Used to Call Love" by Robert Shearman
"Bones of Crow" by Ray Cluley
"Introduction to the Body in Fairy Tales" by Jeannine Hall Gailey
"The Fox" by Conrad Williams
"The Tin House" by Simon Clark
"Stemming the Tide" by Simon Strantzas
"The Anatomist's Mnemonic" by Priya Sharma
"The Monster Makers" by Steve Rasnic Tem
"The Only Ending We Have" by Kim Newman
"The Dog's Paw" by Derek Künsken
"Fine in the Fire" by Lee Thomas
"Majorlena" by Jane Jakeman
"The Withering" by Tim Casson
"Down to a Sunless Sea" by Neil Gaiman
"Jaws of Saturn" by Laird Barron
"Halfway Home" by Linda Nagata
"The Same Deep Waters as You" by Brian Hodge

I wouldn’t say there was anything I could point out as bad.  Of course some stories were better than others.  There were even a few I wasn’t really sure what I just read.   But in my opinion the point of short stories are to get your imagination flowing and you create your own conclusions.  And there was a time or two my conclusion was...I am confused.   All in all, this is a solid collection.  I love horror and these stories do the genre justice!

Harry Potter Moment of the week [36]

This is a meme hosted by Uncorked Thoughts.The aim of this meme is to share with fellow bloggers a character, spell, chapter, object or quote from the books/ films/ J. K. Rowling herself or anything Potter related! She is picking a topic within HP for us to focus on each week and then if anyone wants to take part feel free! All she asks is to link back to her blog :). There is now a full list of the topics to come here.

       Where would you live as a witch/wizard? (With muggles, magical surrounding etc.)

Magic all day, every day. Who would want to live like the Dursleys when you can live like the Weasleys?

That part where Harry walks into the Burrow for the first time and sees the Weasley's clock that tracks where the members of the family are, and seeing household objects take care of chores for themselves really seals the deal. I would adore being surrounded by magic day in and day out. From the gnomes in the garden to the ghoul in the attic, I would take it all.

Would you choose living with Muggles or in a magical surrounding?

Review and Excerpt: Bad Blood by Nicky Peacock

Published: September 5th 2014 by Evernight Teen

Genre: YA, Vampire, Zombie
Format: ebook
Source: provided for honest review

Goodreads Summary

“I am Britannia. I am your protector. I will fend off the hungry hordes of undead hands that reach toward you. I am your steadfast defender. I will stand between you and the zombie masses as they try to taste your flesh. I am strong, unyielding, and dedicated to your survival. All I ask from you… is your blood.” 

A five-hundred-year-old bloody game of vengeance will need to be put on hold if vampires are to survive the zombie uprising. Britannia and Nicholas, bitter enemies and the only two surviving vampires left in London, have to work together to save un-infected humans and deliver them safely to a vampire stronghold in the Scottish Highlands. 

Unable to drink the zombie ‘bad blood’, the remaining vampires need the humans to stay alive. But will the vampires tell the survivors who they are and what they want from them? Will Britannia be able to hold back her vengeance for the greater good? Is survivor Josh the reincarnation of Britannia’s murdered true love? And can she bring herself to deliver him to the ‘safe’ hold? Survival instincts run deep, but bad blood can run deeper.

Amazon UK | Amazon US | Evernight Teen

The vampire took one look at me and ran. He'd been warned. Of course he'd been warned. He was one of Nicholas' brood. I was probably the first topic of conversation Nicholas had with any of his new little children- "If you see a blue-eyed, blue-haired, tall girl dressed in tight red jeans, a Sex Pistols T-shirt, and a blue biker jacket, run for the hills."

The Good

Let's see...the good? Well vampires, zombies and a vampire zombie hybrid. Yeah, that sounds good to me. Britannia doesn’t take crap from anyone..be it vampire, zombie or elder vampire. Probably what I like most about her is she has one boss, herself. Plus, she can kick some serious butt and has some pretty cool hand scythes that she uses to cut of zombie heads. Also with Bad Blood, I can say I'm a fan of Satan and all four of his little legs.

The Bad

Just minor 'why would she make that choice' complaints. I'll share one that's in the beginning as an example... she goes home before they start their gather the humans for food but she knows the crap is already slowly hitting the fan. Well knowing this, she sends the one person on her own to where she would be taking her the next morning safely if she just had her wait in her apartment. I think she just wanted her dog.

The Romance

The romance is a bit weird as Josh is in the group. He just happens to be the reincarnation of Britannia’s murdered true love. Well, Nicholas just happens to have something to do with that. So yeah, the plot thickens. It would probably mess the book up too much if there was a zombie crowd doing a jerry chant.

Conclusion

If you like vampire books or zombie books, you'll enjoy Bad Blood. If you ever wanted to read about vampires herding humans before they all turned to zombies to keep from starving to death and at the same time being at risk of being bitten too much and becoming a vambie then this is the book you've been waiting for. Wait vambie or zompire? Vote your choice in the comments or do you have a better name for a vampire zombie?

About Nicky Peacock

I guess I’ve always been a storyteller, not in a ‘liar liar pants on fire’ kind of way, although I do work in advertising! When I was little, kids would crowd around me in the playground and I’d tell them tales of blood soaked horror filled with vampires, werewolves, ghosts and more. Yes, most would consider me a disturbed child, but my playmates couldn’t help themselves, they’d huddle around me every break time like an ancient tribe feeding off the fear; and that’s how I learned that horror stories hold a certain power, no matter what some might say, everyone is addicted to a good scare, especially if it is somewhat rooted safely in unrealistic beings… or are they unrealistic?

Writing was really a natural progression. Right now I’m obsessed with writing: a YA Urban Fantasy novel, a Paranormal Romance novella series, and several short horror stories! So I’m currently living in a functional fiction coma – and loving it!

I’ve so far been published in 5 countries: USA, UK, Australia, Ireland and Canada and had short stories included in 40 anthologies with over 17 publishers.

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Excerpts

We ran to the hospital. On the way, we encountered hardly anyone, alive or dead. Where were they all? When we arrived at the hospital car park, I understood. Zombies were pack animals. A massive crowd of them were crammed in and around the main building like they were waiting for a concert to start, all barely paying attention to their surroundings and seemingly swaying against the force of gravity. The other thing was the smell. When watching horror films filled with shuffling zombies, the horror came from their ghastly looks—the reminder that death has a tight grip on us all, well, most of us. But what the filmmakers should focus on—if they could—was the acidic rank odor zombies gave off. They had been dead barely twenty-four hours. It took a normal human body at least thirty-six hours to really start to smell, and that was with a vampire’s heightened senses. These guys smelled like they’d been out in the sun for three weeks covered in rubbish and besieged by wily maggots. They were mostly intact, though. Maybe this hospital had been Zombie Ground Zero. Most had turned so quickly their comrades hadn’t had time to feed.

“Maybe we should try a less populated target.” Nicholas twitched his nose and turned away from me to dry retch.

“Maybe you should grow a pair.”

“Maybe you should act like a lady.” He now had his hands on his hips, squaring up for yet another argument.

“Acting like a lady isn’t going to help now, is it? What do you want me to do? Drop my handkerchief in front of the zombies and watch them fight one another to scoop it up for me? Moron!”

“Always to the ‘nth degree with you, isn’t it?”

“Shut up. Look, the doors are holding, and they’re outside, not inside, which means there must be some people left in there alive to have barricaded this place so tight.”

“Or maybe there are just more zombies in there.”

“Well, there’s definitely a blood bank in there, and that’ll help matters no end!”
Nicholas looked thoughtful then nodded. He of course didn’t want to actually say aloud that I’d had a good idea. “So, how do we get past them?”
I assumed it was a rhetorical question, so I started down to the car park entrance, where most of the zombies were mobbing. I opened the outer door as quietly as possible.

“Ladies first,” Nicholas whispered in my ear.

“I thought we’d agreed I wasn’t a lady.” And with that, I shoved him as hard as I could into the throbbing throng of zombies.

Published by Evernight Teen